Say Anything Blog

Momentum from October 20th event held here in The Clay Empire in Princeton, Minnesota is blossoming into events across this Nation.  Inspired by what the Grizzly Groundswell’s Chad Everson has orchestrated between the divide of the Right, Left and Third Party, others are quietly starting to ask how they can replicate this template in their own Backyards.

to assist in helping you bring a more diverse and interesting gathering to your backyard.  It takes some courage to invite your enemy and third party strangers to your home.  However, since I have always traveled the path less traveled, it has made all the difference in the world.

I encourage you to do this all across the Nation.  I am calling for action from our Grizzly Groundswell Governors, International Presidents, Readership and our enemies to try this experiment in your own backyard. 

Here is the formula, pointers and template ground rules to abide by:

FORMULA:

Awaken to the need for intelligence: You would not believe the insight I have gained on my enemy and indifferent third party types as well as my conservative Republicans in this 7 hour event.  It is worth the time and effort just to observe each other on and off line.  You may even learn something about yourself!

Stand UP and acknowledge that if you do not orchestrate it, no one will: With all the pontification on the Great Divide, It took a small town boy from North Dakota to stand up and orchestrate something special.  I am sure you have a similar story in your backyard.  You will make the difference, every time!

I can guide you in my observations and avoid some down falls that I encountered hosting this event.  Every event will have a life of it’s own, but I can steer you in the right direction.  It does not take a lot of money, but it is an expense.

Changing Political Landscapes in your Backyard is hard work worth doing:  It is not as easy as shooting off a post on a blog.  Awakening, Standing Up, Stepping into Action are the simple tried and true formula that is essential to success.  It is hard work.  It takes courage, substance, and vision.  If you want better citizenship, dialog, and sportsmanship in your local political landscape, this event may start that happening.

Pointers:

Invites: Take suggestions for invites from event goers already on board.  Control the invite list so that you assure a diversity on both sides.  In our event our left was homogeneous and with little diversity in background, age and all were male.  Also, three of the 4 drove together.  It is better if you get a better sampling and if everyone does not know everyone.  It puts everyone on a shared discomfort level.  Thus, no allies and strategy can be employed. 

Hosting: I hosted and felt I was unable to participate and challenge the conversation because of my hosting duties.  Next time, I would find someone else to act as host so I could be more of a participant.  This was frustrating for me and it will be for you if you try to do it all.

Shared Experience Activity: It is essential to find a shared experience that is out of the comfort zone of the participants.  Clay is the experience I suggest.  It works on all levels.  I would discourage Biking or some activity that may dissuade participants from attending.  Maybe a bon fire or some leisure activity that is a conduit for conversation would work very effectively.  Stay with essential elements, earth, wind, fire, & food!

Food: It is expensive.  Suggest participants bring a dish to share and meat if they choose for the grill.  There will be enough incidentals to break your budget, don’t take on the food as one of them.  Although, breaking bread together is innate and essential to the experience.

Facilitator, and itinerary: While I was frustrated that our conversation did not deepen, it was great that we did not have a strong handed facilitator even though it did open up monopolization of facilitating to our left contingent who seemed to have a ready planned strategy.  We had Charlie Quimby as an appointed facilitator but he wisely stepped back and let the conversation develop organically.  Both of us were surprised that our fears of awkward silence was unfounded.  Appoint one or two facilitators.  Keep your itinerary brief and vague.  I prefer a more organic approach to the conversation.  Our perception was that it was going to be hard to get people to talk.  That was incorrect, conversation flowed freely.  The activity that I had set up three stations, wheel, hand building and Raku Kiln were too many.  We never even got to the wheel.  However, it was there, in case other activities had failed.  So plan more than you need and keep it simple and engaging, but do not drive people through the activities.  Allow the relationships and conversation to take precedent. 

Number of Participants: I suggest 9 or 12 participants.  Right, Left, and third party or special interest should be included.  I would suggest 3 or 4 of each.  I had only met 2 of the participants in person prior.  I would use that as a template for each participant.  No one should have more than one or two people they have met.  It aids in the “un-comfort” level and helps the conversation because there are no clear cut allies that can direct and control the conversation. 

The Floor: Every participant should have access to the floor to speak their piece without interruption.  If a participant expounds too much, the facilitator should have a shared sign, bell or ability to step in and have that participant sum it up in a few sentences.  The facilitator should not have to formally give anyone the floor.  Although if someone seems shut out of the conversation, the facilitator must step forward and bring that participant the opportunity to assume the floor and offer their input to the conversation.  We did not have this problem, but I can foresee it.

Shared Medium: Our shared medium was Blogging and Forum commentary.  However, I was dissappointed that the conversation was little about this medium.  If I was able to be more of a participant then host, I would of pushed this issue more strongly.  Although John Austin did blog live and we all took photo’s of the event and blogged and commented on the event after we returned to our daily life.  You Medium may be Political activism, City Government, Church or organization.  Whatever your shared medium, this is a topic that should be addressed and reveals a lot of participants perception.

Event Environment: Hospitality should be the focus.  A welcoming acceptance of the diverse backgrounds and thought should be respected.  I used as my template my Grandfather and Grandmother’s table.  Everyone is welcome, respected and cherished and no one goes home hungry.  It worked and works every time.  Look for an Environment that takes the event goers out of their comfort zone.  I brought metro centrists to the country and to my hobby ranch home. 

Awareness of the instances of life that happen throughout the event: In my last post I made a point to highlight life happening before, throughout and after the event.  We had a Vermin terrorist attack on our chicken coop, we had the death of a duck during the event, we had birth of two unexpected Kittens that afternoon.  Something special is happening as we come together, and life continues and is present before, during and after the event.  It is telling who notices them, and who is oblivious to them.  It tells more of who we are then you may think.

Template with Ground rules:

Respect: It is respect that grants us civility and our humanity.  If there is no respect for your enemy and fellow event goers, this exercise is useless. 

Hospitality: If you do not serve your neighbor and event goers, you will not have a successful or safe environment.  This is key.

Confidence: With Respect and Hospitality present, be confident in your background, political stance and place in the event.  This event is not to meet in the middle but to engage others who disagree with you in a respectful and honest way.



~State where you come from and what your core beliefs are.

~Ask preconceived Bias about your enemy, you may be surprised at the Myths you break.

~Give your insight into the shared media of the event goers.

~Eat Like Kings

~Find something that you would like to continue the conversation with each event goer.  If you can not find something, you are not getting anything out of the event.

~Depart in friendship

~Follow up with each event goers to continue some aspect of the conversation

~Obtain each event goers perception of the event

~Give honestly your own perceptions

~It is honestly that simple.

I must emphatically state that “middle ground” is fruitless and a misconception in our modern politic or any argument.  I theorize that it is the “other” or the third stick that upholds any dualistic argument that is what you need to pay close attention as it interdependent with the right and left define the complex structure that sheds better understanding of what we face in politic today.

I am interested in hearing about your observations, experience and conclusions that you will have before, during and after your event.

What is keeping you from working together to make this happen in your backyard?

~Teddy Bear